Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862

Book Description

The bloody and decisive two-day battle of Shiloh (April 6-7, 1862) changed the entire course of the American Civil War. The stunning Northern victory thrust Union commander Ulysses S. Grant into the national spotlight, claimed the life of Confederate commander Albert S. Johnston, and forever buried the notion that the Civil War would be a short conflict. The conflagration at Shiloh had its roots in the strong Union advance during the winter of 1861-1862 that resulted in the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson in Tennessee. The offensive collapsed General Albert S. Johnston advanced line in Kentucky and forced him to withdraw all the way to northern Mississippi. Anxious to attack the enemy, Johnston began concentrating Southern forces at Corinth, a major railroad center just below the Tennessee border. His bold plan called for his Army of the Mississippi to march north and destroy General Grant's Army of the Tennessee before it could link up with another Union army on the way to join him. On the morning of April 6, Johnston boasted to his subordinates, "Tonight we will water our horses in the Tennessee!" They nearly did so. Johnston's sweeping attack hit the unsuspecting Federal camps at Pittsburg Landing and routed the enemy from position after position as they fell back toward the Tennessee River. Johnston's sudden death in the Peach Orchard, however, coupled with stubborn Federal resistance, widespread confusion, and Grant's dogged determination to hold the field, saved the Union army from destruction. The arrival of General Don C. Buell's reinforcements that night turned the tide of battle. The next day, Grant seized the initiative and attacked the Confederates, driving them from the field. Shiloh was one of the bloodiest battles of the entire war, with nearly 24,000 men killed, wounded, and missing. Edward Cunningham, a young Ph.D. candidate studying under the legendary T. Harry Williams at Louisiana State University, researched and wrote Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862 in 1966. Although it remained unpublished, many Shiloh experts and park rangers consider it to be the best overall examination of the battle ever written. Indeed, Shiloh historiography is just now catching up with Cunningham, who was decades ahead of modern scholarship. Western Civil War historians Gary D. Joiner and Timothy B. Smith have resurrected Cunningham's beautifully written and deeply researched manuscript from its undeserved obscurity. Fully edited and richly annotated with updated citations and observations, original maps, and a complete order of battle and table of losses, Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862 will be welcomed by everyone who enjoys battle history at its finest. Edward Cunningham, Ph.D., studied under T. Harry Williams at Louisiana State University. He was the author of The Port Hudson Campaign: 1862-1863 (LSU, 1963). Dr. Cunningham died in 1997. Gary D. Joiner, Ph.D. is the author of One Damn Blunder from Beginning to End: The Red River Campaign of 1864, winner of the 2004 Albert Castel Award and the 2005 A. M. Pate, Jr., Award, and Through the Howling Wilderness: The 1864 Red River Campaign and Union Failure in the West. He lives in Shreveport, Louisiana. Timothy B. Smith, Ph.D., is author of Champion Hill: Decisive Battle for Vicksburg (winner of the 2004 Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Non-fiction Award), The Untold Story of Shiloh: The Battle and the Battlefield, and This Great Battlefield of Shiloh: History, Memory, and the Establishment of a Civil War National Military Park. A former ranger at Shiloh, Tim teaches history at the University of Tennessee. REVIEWS "With their sparkling introductory essay, editors Gary Joinerand Timothy Smith give readers ample reason to want to read O.Edward Sullivan's 1966 dissertation....Anyone with a serious interest in the early Western theater campaigns and the Battle of Shiloh will find this book essential reading. Casual readers will likely enjoy it as well (not something you can often say about a dissertation)."Civil War Books and Authors; April 15,2007 ;A Wagenhoffer "...it may well be the best, most perceptive and authoritative account of the Battle of Shiloh ..".The Weekly Standard 6/25/2007

Customer Reviews:

New Essential for your Civil War Library.......2007-08-27

"Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862" is the previously unpublished 1966 doctoral thesis of O. Edward Cunningham with an editorial touch up by Dr's Joiner and Smith. Dr. Cunningham was a doctoral student at the Louisiana State University of the late T. Harry Williams, author of the vastly influential work "Lincoln and His Generals". The editors are both authors of books on the Civil War in the West with Dr. Smith writing the well received "Champion Hill - Decisive Battle for Vicksburg"

The Battle of Shiloh was one of the most critical battles in American History. Some of the biggest figures of the Civil War - Grant, Sherman, Johnston, Bragg, Beauregard, Buell - they all fought there. As Grant would write in his memoirs, before Shiloh, Americans on both sides of the Mason Dixon line believed that the war could still be a short limited affair. Shiloh shattered that illusion. The two day battle saw some of the fiercest fighting of the war in which over 23,000 men were taken casualty.

Dr. Cunningham's work is a detailed history of the battle of Shiloh. The focus of the work is on the Divisions, Brigades, Regiments and the men that fought in them. . It covers in excellent detail which brigades, fought for which piece of ground, when they were fighting and what happened. In fact, the book is so crammed with details that at times it risks losing the forest for the trees with all the Colonel This of the 23rd Volunteer Infantry and Captain That of Company C, 10th Southern Infantry. Close but not quite. The work presents a clear and cogent picture of how the battle unfolded.

This is not a command study as Larry Daniel's more recent "Shiloh - The Battle That Changed the Civil War" is. While the decisions of Grant, Beauregard and Johnston are covered, they are not examined in detail. In many respects the Army Commanders are the supporting actors in this story. Once the battle was joined, Grant and Johnston were secondary to the fate of their armies. In fact, much of the Confederate Army was unaware of Johnston's death until after the battle was over. This is not to say that they are totally ignored in the work, only that they are not its emphasis.

Like all Campaign Histories, this one spends the first third of the work placing the Armies in context. The opening phases of the war, the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson, the Confederate concentration at Corinth, and the Union movement to Pittsburg Landing are all covered. What is not covered in any critical depth is Beauregard's plan for the battle and its impact on the outcome of the battle. For that you will need to read Daniel's book.

I very much enjoyed this work. Unlike so many recent books on Military History, this one came with 32 maps of the battle. Additionally the end of the book their is a photo tour of the battlefield today. Unfortunately, the maps lack any road or creek names. It would have been nice when Dr. Cunningham is discussing McClernand's position along the Purdy Road, that the Purdy Road would be indicated on the map that accompanies the text. Some times I felt like Lew Wallace, wondering which road I should follow. As for the photos I think a better use for them would be to have put the photos alongside within the chapter that discussed the battle for that particular location. The book also comes with photos of all the Generals that participated in the battle. The pictures are all taken from the "Generals in Blue" and "Generals in Grey" works. As a real fan of portraits, I would have wished that we could have had more original pictures other than the mug shots we have all seen a million times before.

Dr. Cunningham's work is much enhanced by the editing of Joiner and Smith. They have altered the original text to clean up minor historical errors, such as removing Dr. Cunningham's assertion that Grant's men erected field fortifications in the final Union defensive position. All corrections are properly footnoted at the bottom of each page. I have never read a book that has had such wonderful footnotes. They provide additional insights and a running commentary on the book. There were times when I would find myself turning the page just to see what juicy little tidbit would be there. I think in the future I will make the effort to read the footnotes just in case I am missing something.

"Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862" for all that it is 40 years old, and a doctoral dissertation at that, does not have a dated or arcane feel to it. It very much reminds me of the works by Peter Cozzens. Shiloh is a battle that deserves multiple serious works on it. There is room in every Civil War library for the major books on this battle. Those of Larry Daniel, Wiley Sword, James McDonough, and now Dr. Cunningham. I know my library would not be complete without it.

Shiloh and the Western Campaign.......2007-08-15

Dr.Cunninghams over-all view of battle accounts are very accurate.Shiloh was organized chaos early in war and he defines the players and their
movements very, very well and with an interesting flair. No other author comes close,absolutley the best on Shiloh.A must read for the novice and the Civil War scholar......Frank Brazl

History As It Should Be Written.......2007-08-13

Battle histories are not generally easy reads; by their very nature they are a detailed account of a specific battle. Some are more detailed than others. By and large battle histories are not, and should not be "quick reads." They do tend to be somewhat dry and tedious reading. Not so with O. Edward Cunningham's "Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862."

Written as a doctoral dissertation in the 1960's Cunningham's manuscript remained unpublished for nearly forty years, though it has not been forgotten. The manuscript, a copy of which was housed in the library of the Shiloh National Military Park, has been consulted by armature and professional historians alike. Now thanks to the efforts of editors, Timothy B. Smith and Gary D. Joiner, the manuscript has at long last been published by Savas Beatie Publishing Company.

Cunningham's writing is a joy to read, his narrative flows with ease, and as editors Smith and Joiner, only needed to step in to update new information which has come to light during the 40 years since Cunningham wrote his dissertation or to clarify points here and there where Cunningham's narrative needed a little help... needless to say those times were few and far between.

For a forty year old manuscript, Dr. Cunningham's work seems surprisingly fresh and vibrant; the writing does not date itself. The book contains many new ideas, and different approaches to interpreting and understanding this first, major, catastrophic battle of the American Civil War. For instance, Cunningham deemphasizes the importance of the fight at The Hornet's Nest while shifting the spotlight to the fighting at the crossroads on the west side of the field.

Not only is Dr. Cunningham's narrative, a history of the Battle of Shiloh, but also the whole western campaign from the Confederate Army's invasion of Kentucky & Grant's twin victories and Forts Henry & Donnellson to Shiloh, Corinth and beyond.

Mr. Joiner has drawn over 30 maps to assist the reader in following the action, and there many period photographs and even a photographic tour of the battlefield as it exists to day. Cunningham's notes are true footnotes, located at the bottom of the page, allowing you to quickly look down to see where his information came from without having to thumb to the back of the book which scores an A+ in my grade book.

Being a Savas Beatie publication, "Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862" is a quality volume, printed in a nice easy to read font, on acid free paper, and the artwork on the dust jacket is just gorgeous. This book was a great read and I am proud to list this among the titles in my collection.

Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862.......2007-08-08

Probably the new standard for Shiloh. With the new maps, it will give the reader a feeling and presence of the field. With T. Harry Williams fingerprints on this material, it was well researched and well documented.

Somewhat Disappointing.......2007-07-28

I was particularly interested in getting a detailed account of the battle of Shiloh (or Pittsburgh Landing as it was often called in the North) as a relative of mine was killed in that battle. Although the book goes into great detail about the units involved in the battle and the names of the various officers, I found the book to be somewhat disappointing overall. Even the listing of military units and officers often tended to interrupt the "flow" of events. It was almost as if the concentration on all the "trees" tended to obscure the view of the "forest." Compounding this problem were the maps. I am a "map person" and when I saw the number of maps included in this book I was delighted at first, only to be disappointed as I tried to use them in following and understanding the battle. Many units of the armies mentioned in the book were not identified on the maps, and many features of the battlefield (such as the names of roads and creeks) referred to in the text were also omitted from the maps. This made them very difficult to use in following the narrative which was a frustrating disappointment to me.

The first account of the battle that I ever read was from a book called "My Days and Nights on the Battlefield" (published in 1864) by Charles Carleton Coffin who was a newspaper correspondent for the Boston Journal. Called by some "the Ernie Pyle of his era," Coffin was the only correspondent to serve throughout the Civil War from 1st Bull Run to Appomattox. Coffin was not present during the battle of Shiloh, but arrived shortly after, interviewed many of the participants and examined the battlefield. Another of my disappointments in "Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862" is that, although the book has footnotes galore, documenting the information given, Coffin's fine description and analysis of the battle is not referenced at all. Admittedly, that is perhaps only a personal disappointment, but in a book offering such detailed documentation, this omission is difficult to understand.

I'm making this review sound too negative, I believe. Overall, I think it was a worthwhile read and I don't hesitate in recommending it. My criticisms are rather personal and reflect some frustrations - especially in regard to the incomplete details of the maps - that I experienced in reading it. Another thing I liked about the book was the inclusion of photographs of many of the officers on both sides. It's probably not a book that I will read again, at least not in its entirety, but for any true Civil War buff it is certainly worth reading. I read it shortly after finishing "Twilight at Little Round Top" and "Grant and Sherman: The Friendship That Won the War" so this book probably suffered somewhat in comparison.

Average customer rating:

Great overview of the New Orleans campaign
Greatly Disappointing

The Capture of New Orleans, 1862
Chester G. Hearn
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

The Night the War Was Lost (Bison Book)
The Civil War in Louisiana
Men of Fire: Grant, Forrest, and the Campaign That Decided the Civil War

ASIN: 0807119458

Amazon.com

The North did not fare so well in the early stages of the Civil War. One year after the fall of Fort Sumter, however, Admiral David Glasgow Farragut provided a significant victory by seizing the vital Southern city of New Orleans. Chester G. Hearn blames the Confederacy's political leadership for the catastrophe, but also points to Farragut's bravado. Jefferson Davis was shocked to learn of the event, even though the Union specifically targeted the city and devoted substantial resources to its capture. With more than 40 maps and illustrations, The Capture of New Orleans, 1862 describes an underappreciated factor in the North's eventual triumph.

Book Description

On April 24, 1862, Federal gunboats made their way past two Confederate forts to ascend the Mississippi River, and the Union navy captured New Orleans. News of the loss of the Crescent City came to Jefferson Davis as an absolute shock. In this exhaustive study, Chester G. Hearn examines the decisions, actions, individuals, and events to explain why. He directs his inquiry to the heart of government, both Union and Confederate, and takes a hard look at the selection of military and naval leaders, the use of natural and financial resources, and the performances of all personnel involved. His vivid, fast-paced narrative provides fascinating reading, as well as penetrating insight into this crucial campaign.

Customer Reviews:

Great overview of the New Orleans campaign.......2003-05-26

I beg to differ with the previous reviewer. Chester G. Hearn's writing is concise, interesting, and thorough, not to mention being a great read! I would highly recommend everything he's written, in fact, with the exception of "Rebels and Yankees: Naval Battles of the Civil War" (pub. Thunder Bay Press); that one is so uncharacteristically bad that I can only conclude that a lousy editor was involved. At any rate, this one on New Orleans is a keeper.

Greatly Disappointing.......2000-06-15

Though well written, Hearn's book adds nothing new to our understanding of the New Orleans Campaign. His bibliography indicates that he did little research in primary sources, of which hundreds are available. He appears to have "borrowed" citations from the best book on the subject--Charles L. Dufour's _The Night the War Was Lost_. If you are interested in this campaign, read Dufour and don't bother with Hearn.

The Confederate States Marine Corps: The Rebel Leathernecks

Average customer rating:

Filled with information... Roughly put together.

The Confederate States Marine Corps: The Rebel Leathernecks
Ralph W. Donnelly
Manufacturer: White Mane Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Naval | Military | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0942597133

Customer Reviews:

Filled with information... Roughly put together........1998-06-30

Rebel Leathernecks is one of the most interesting books I have read recent years telling the story of the Confederate States Marine Corps in detail I never knew exsisted. I found the statistics very useful in my own personal research. I reccommend this book if you are interested in the Civil War and the Marine Corps in particular. It gives insight on a side of the Corps many Marines themselves are not aware of.

Vicksburg: The Campaign That Opened the Mississippi (Civil War America)

Average customer rating:

A popular history
A good start to an important history
Honest and sincere account of an inmensely important campaign
Excellent book on the key Civil War Battle of Vicksburg
Good Book for the Libary of a Civil War Buff

Vicksburg: The Campaign That Opened the Mississippi (Civil War America)
Michael B. Ballard
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Champion Hill: Decisive Battle for Vicksburg
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Vicksburg Is the Key: The Struggle for the Mississippi River (Great Campaigns of the Civil War)
Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862

ASIN: 0807828939
Release Date: 2003-10-31

Book Description

When Confederate troops surrendered Vicksburg on July 4, 1863--the day after the Union victory at Gettysburg--a crucial port and rail depot for the South was lost. The Union gained control of the Mississippi River, and the Confederate territory was split in two. In a thorough yet concise study of the longest single military campaign of the Civil War, Michael B. Ballard brings new depth to our understanding of the Vicksburg campaign by considering its human as well as its military aspects.

Ballard examines soldier attitudes, guerrilla warfare, and the effects of the campaign and siege on civilians in and around Vicksburg. He also analyzes the leadership and interaction of such key figures as U.S. Grant, William T. Sherman, John Pemberton, and Joseph E. Johnston, among others. Blending strategy and tactics with the human element, Ballard reminds us that while Gettysburg has become the focal point of the history and memory of the Civil War, the outcome at Vicksburg was met with as much celebration and relief in the North as was the Gettysburg victory, and he argues that it should be viewed as equally important today.

Customer Reviews:

A popular history.......2007-01-11

Mr.Ballard's book is another popular history,it contains little if any new information excepting a defense/excuse of the CS commander Gen. Pemberton.

US Gen.Grant is given considerable credit and deservedly so. The various Union naval commanders; Farragut, Porter etc get much attention also. Mr. Ballard does do a fair job of placing credit on both side's better commanders and lambasts CS Gen. Joe Johnston constantly. He lists the manuevering and prior failures of Union forces throughout the Mississippi region but successfully does so without losing the reader.

However, detail is lacking and the writing style itself is tepid and uninspiring. Contrary to some of the other reviewers, I found the maps poorly drawn and overly cluttered. Done in one color, roads and streams litter the maps; competing with arrows listing advances and retreats and unit markers do not differ between CS/US, infantry or cavalry...an attempt to clarify this on this small maps lists various brigade/division unit commanders but without listing what side is what. Numerous misspellings imply either poor editors or poor research. He consistently describes units as "crack" outfits to the point of the reader wondering, were there any "normal" units present? Any force smaller than a battalion or regiment is listed as a patrol or roadblock. His handling of first person history, the best aspect of recent military writings, is slipshod and often generalised. Few regiments are listed and in general, brigades get the most mention in combat descriptions.

A bright spot was the emphasis on the various naval movements in and about the Vicksburg area. Union naval ability and the Confederate lack of, gets serious and well deserved attention.

Mr. Ballard's theme of the Western Theater being the war winner is well supported by many other current works. Overall, this book is no masterpiece nor is Ballard a Pfanz as a writer. Well read students of this theater will not be well served by purchase of the book but it is a fair one for general or new readers to the subject.

A good start to an important history.......2006-12-14

The newer research on the Civil War suggests that it was won in the west and that the action in the east is not what caused the end of the war. Vicksburg was the crucial campaign in the west and while this book can get bogged down in details it does a very good job of providing information. The challenge of taking this city on a hill and the importance of the navy are all well explained here. A look at what happened to the south as the war progressed is not readily apparent but if read in between the lines it is easy to see what happened. The analysis about the importance of opening up the Mississippi to union forces is very good and brings new light on a subject that needs a lot more exploring and debate.

Honest and sincere account of an inmensely important campaign.......2005-07-14

I like this book for several reasons.Number one, Mr Ballard is very sincere and called everything by its name.When it comes to describing generals and soldiers on either side of the conflict,he tells it like it is.Number two, the way Mr Ballard describes the military campaign in all its details it's terrific which helped me understand the imporatnce of every battle and the strategies involved.The only flaw in the book is really a minor one which is that sometimes the author gives too many details in things that i dont think are not that important.BUt ,in general, it's a very good book!

Excellent book on the key Civil War Battle of Vicksburg.......2005-06-24

Dr, Michael Ballard has written an excellent book on the Vicksburg Campaign. Ballard has had good mentors in his study of the Mississippi River City which fell to US Grant in July, 1863
He is has been guided by Terry Wenschel the National Park Chief Historian; read the massive three volume work by Mr. Civil
War Ed Bearss on the campaign and is a lifelong native of Mississipi who has visited Vicksburg since his youth.
Vicksburg was a complex campaign pitting the inept Northern Born Confederate General John Pemberton against the aggressive and brilliant US Grant. Grant's Union Army worked well as a team.
Even though Grant did not like McClernand he used him well in launching the blue horde against the city on the bluffs. Grant
worked well with Sherman and McPherson, Logan and others as they tried many ideas to conquer Vicksburg. Grant and David Dixon Porter worked well on coordinating army-navy operations.
Grant succeeded when his forces crossed the Mississippi to
Bruinsburg, Ms. Union victories at Port Gibson, Jackson and
most importantly Champion Hill (May 16, 1863) led to a 47 day
siege of Vicksburg which fell to Federal forces on July 4, 1863
Vicksburge the key to victory in the Western Theatre was then
put into Mr. Lincoln's pocket. The fate of the Western Confederacy was sealed.
I am surprised how little many Civil War buffs seem to know little about the Western Theatre of the War. Those whose approach has been "Virginia-centric" will find much to explore as they gaze at the Western Theatre.
Grant emerges as a tough, imaginative, never say never commander while the Confederates Pemberton and Joe Johnston wee weak and indecisive leaders. Grant's star rose in the West as Lincoln discovered the man who could beat Lee and win the war!
Ballard's book is well illustrated; the maps are clear and
easy to follow. Ballard has done his homework as the many pages of bibliography attest to his acumen. While dealing with the battles he also quotes the thoughts of civilians of Vicksburg and Misssippi who saw their society rent asunder by the blue
hordes from the north.
Ed Bearss is still the dean of Vicksburg scholars but Michael Ballard has also contributed greatly to our understanding of this vital, complex, too often overlooked campaign. This book
can be read by the buff or the neophyte with equal pleasure. Thank you Dr. Ballard for your work!

Good Book for the Libary of a Civil War Buff.......2005-02-18

This is a good book for anyone interested in studying on the Civil War. As the author mentions, this campaign to capture Vicksburg is a rather unknown period of the war and this is a good book on this campaign. It has its plusses and its minuses. On the positive side, it covers the campaign in detail with a number of human interest stories. The experiences of the citizens and soldiers who lived in Vicksburg, e.g. living in caves, the casualties, the experiences of soldiers in the hospitals (for example, he goes through the procedure that a doctor used to remove a leg - interesting although somewhat gruesome but it highlights the suffering). He is an apparent fan of Pemberton (although he recognizes his mistakes well) and not a fan of Joe Johnston (but I haven't found a Civil War writer who is...). He covers them well and also the top Union generals: Grant, Sherman and McClernand, including Grant's supposed bouts with alcohol and the feud between McClernand and Grant. This is a balanced coverage. On the minuses side, I found myself getting confused at times about what was really happening. For example, the coverage of the battles including the maps which are very confusing, which ramble about this unit and that unit going this way and that. The early book with this Confederate general and that Confederate general doing this and that is also confusing and may cause you to get you to get frustrated with the book, but stick with it. At one point, he has Pemberton in Vicksburg and needing to go to Vicksburg in the same paragraph. So, I read it again, and... huh. But then the story picks up when Grant tries one approach versus another to reach Vicksburg and decides on approaching it from the South. This is very interesting showing the chess moves between Grant, Pemberton and Johnston which Grant ultimately won. This is a good book, on a period that should be covered more. It may be confusing because unlike Gettysburg, where each writer can read the other books and build on them, there are few sources. So, I recommend it.

The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814 (Bluejacket Paperback)

Average customer rating:

The other time the US was invaded...
Decent Account of the Burning of Washington in 1814
Authoritative Anecdotal History in its best form!
interesting revisit
Wonderfully Detailed Stories - Needs Maps

The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814 (Bluejacket Paperback)
Anthony S. Pitch
Manufacturer: US Naval Institute Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Darkest Day: The Washington-Baltimore Campaign During the War of 1812
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ASIN: 1557504253

Book Description

With all the immediacy of an eyewitness account, Anthony Pitch tells the dramatic story of the British invasion of Washington in the summer of 1814, an episode many call a defining moment in the coming-of-age of the United States. The British torched the Capitol, the White House, and many other public buildings, setting off an inferno that illuminated the countryside for miles and sending President James Madison scurrying out of town while his wife Dolley rescued a life-sized portrait of George Washington from the flames. The author's gripping narrative--hailed by a White House curator, a Senate historian, and the chairman of the National Geographic Society, among others--is filled with vivid details of the attack. Not confining his story to Washington, Pitch also describes the brave, resourceful defense of nearby Fort McHenry and tells how Francis Scott Key, a British hostage on a ship near the Baltimore harbor during the fort's bombardment, wrote a poem that became the national anthem.

Customer Reviews:

The other time the US was invaded..........2005-04-09

Since Pearl Harbor was technically a territory in 1941, United States soil has endured only two attacks since the American Revolution: the War of 1812 and September 11th, 2001. The second of these was a terrorist attack, and still in recent memory. The first of these comprised an invading and occupying army, and a big one at that. After all, the British still ruled the waves in 1814 regardless of seeing defeat at the hands of the upstart American colonies. Doubtless the proud British Empire still felt a slight sting at the humiliating defeat and loss of the colonies not thirty years before. It seems they stopped taking America seriously, and this led to what some have called America's "second war of independence".
The War of 1812 seems almost forgotten these days. Maybe because modern Americans are not comfortable talking about their country's defeats or humiliations in warfare. In 1814 the British agonizingly humiliated the neophyte country by burning its capital. Yes, the city of Washington (it wasn't called Washington D.C. until 1871) was literally sacked on August 24, 1814.
Anthony Pitch tells this amazing story with page-turning intensity. The events surrounding the entire War of 1812 unfold. From its inception by the impressment of American sailors by the British, to the violently split public on the question of the war, to the final Battle of New Orleans (fought after the peace treaty was signed), this book tells a great story. In the process one learns about the historical signficance of Baltimore, and the origin of the national anthem (the significance of its lyrics will ring out clearly after reading this book; many people likely sing it without knowing exactly what it's talking about, though only one of the four verses typically gets sung these days).
The book begins with a teeth-clenching account of the fate of antiwar publisher Alexander Contee Hanson. Anyone thinking that the United States is a violent place these days has only to read what happens to Hanson and his entourage at the hands of a Baltimore mob. Things used to be much worse.
The book also includes descriptions of the early capitol. Things have also vastly improved there. Many in 1812 described it as a fetid swamp.
The occupation and burning of Washington by the British gets an entire chapter. Pitch recounts the interior of the President's House and the original Congress building with heartbreaking detail. Even some British solidiers asked their superiors whether destroying the building was the right thing to do. The architecture was apparently that impressive.
The book also includes detailed accounts of the war's major battles: Blandesburg, North Point, Baltimore, New Orleans (sometimes compared to Agincourt, and where Andrew Jackson came to public acclaim). Pitch is also not afraid to describe some of the unpleasantries that typically accompany war. Some of these passages stick for a long time.
This book serves as a great introduction to a very neglected but pivotal event in American history. After the War of 1812 America saw its reputation rise globally. And many big names took part: President James Madison, Dolley Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, James Buchanan, and others. Also, many historical documents (e.g., the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence) were miraculously saved from the flames by very driven individuals (names that are now sadly obscure). This book provides an excellent introduction to this neglected time of American history and the forgotten people who made this history happen.

Decent Account of the Burning of Washington in 1814.......2003-09-07

'The Burning of Washington' by Anthony Pitch is a detailed and well written account of the British invasion of 1814 during which the British defeated the opposing American forces before marching into the Capital and putting parts of Washington to the torch, including the White House. This book is a most enjoyable read and in my mind is as good as Walter Lord's book 'The Dawn's Early Light' which was first published in the early 1970's.

The book covers the Battle of Bladensburg, the abandonment of the Capital and its subsequent occupation and destruction by the British. The narrative then continues with the fighting around Baltimore and the end of the war after the British defeat at the Battle of New Orleans. The author also tells the story of Francis Scott Key and birth of the American national anthem, an interesting story in itself.

Anthony Pitch has used a number of first-hand accounts taken from the letters of participants on both sides of the conflict including, soldiers, sailors and civilians. Material has been utilised from diaries, journals and newspaper accounts to fill in this stirring and vivid narrative of this fascinating period of American history. Overall this is a decent piece of historical writing and I am sure that most people will enjoy the author's account of the invasion of 1814. The one negative point that I have to raise in regards to this book is the lack of detailed maps to follow the invading forces and the subsequent battles.

Authoritative Anecdotal History in its best form!.......2002-07-28

Finally a book that takes the dates, debates and fates of our loosely memorized historical facts and breathes veritable life into the gripping events of 1814. America IS more than mere facts. 1814 SHOULD be remembered with a spirit of honor and respect for those who fought and for those who lived through the tumultuously passionate early childhood of our nation.
If you need a map to keep the geography in order, get one. It's not a necessity! The masterful unveiling of this moment in our history is so thoroughly documented and equally expressed it drives this book to become a must on every bookshelf, whether you are a history buff or not! Read it, remember it and tell a friend. Its great conversation!

interesting revisit.......2002-05-20

This is an excellent study into the social and political aspects of the incident. Details the actions of the people of Washington and each, and it would seem every, dish that was broken. The battles are cover only mildly to bring you to the 'burning' and afterwards to bring conclusion. A wonderful book for the interested reader, but not so much for military battle analysis. This book only goes into details of the 'burning' making it more of a tour guide than a history of the invasion. On the invasion there are far better titles.

Honestly, I found Walter Lord's book to be worth a second read and not happy with this title.

Make SURE this book is what you want to read about.

Wonderfully Detailed Stories - Needs Maps.......2002-04-29

Anthony Pitch gives wonderful tours of Washington DC, which is how I first happenned across this fine book. The book captures a superb level of detail which lends personalities and stories to historical people and places, as any good tour guide should.

Pitch gives the reader a great sense of the confusion and fear that Washington residents felt, and the difficult decisions that were pushed upon them. He frames the burning of Washington with early unrest in Baltimore and later American victories in Baltimore and New Orleans which lends perspecitve, and places the burning of Washington in the proper context of the overall war.

Book Description

The Battle of Gettysburg was a scene of roiling chaos. Thousands of casualties and an unexpected Union retreat left the field and its soldiers in utter confusion. It was in the midst of this uproar that Brigadier General Thomas A. Rowley, U.S.A., was arrested for drunkenness and disobedience. But what really happened on that chaotic day, and how did it affect Rowley and those around him in the years to come?

A military man for many years, Rowley had served during the Mexican War and had worked his way up from second lieutenant to colonel. When the fighting began at Fort Sumter, he immediately offered his services to the Union Army. This volume chronicles Rowley's life up to the July 1, 1863, battle that ended his military career, with particular attention to the events of that fateful day. The author discusses the court martial's questionable guilty verdict and Rowley's reaction to it, as well as his role in a confrontation between Major General George Meade and G.K. Warren shortly after Lincoln and Stanton reversed the court martial's finding. Subsequent events in the careers of other participants including Lieutenant Colonel Rufus Dawes and Major General Abner Doubleday are also discussed. Sources include personal letters and diaries of the men who served with and under General Rowley. Pertinent information regarding the military rules of the period is provided in order to reveal how Rowley's case deviated from the norm. Finally, appendices provide a list of Rowley's commands, a roll of the court martial participants and Rowley's personal defense statement.

By Sea and by River: The Naval History of the Civil War (Da Capo Paperback)
Average customer rating:

A Biased Account of Naval Activities During the WBTS.

THE WORST BOOK ABOUT THE NAVAL HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR!

A Worthy Telling of a Neglected Story

Excellent reading but primarily written from a Union view.

One of the Best One Volume Summaries of the Naval Civil War

By Sea and by River: The Naval History of the Civil War (Da Capo Paperback)
Bern Anderson
Manufacturer: Da Capo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0306803674

Customer Reviews:

A Biased Account of Naval Activities During the WBTS........2001-06-06

Considering the original date of publication (1962) and the experience and background of the author, this is a well written, well researched "paper" about US Navy activity in the war.

However, given the other volumes exhaustively researched, and wriiten about the naval history of the Civil War, including W.T. Scharf's contemporary history of the CS Navy, this book is nothing more than a political justification of naval policies and the ramblings of a romantic career naval officer.

I don't mean to belittle Admiral Anderson's motives or qualifications for writing this book, but this is not a history book. It is written like a tabloid article full of heresay, leading statements, and falsehoods.

The author repeatedly condradicts himself, often within the same paragraph. He states early on that the Union Blockade of southern ports was wholly effective, starving the the south. Yet he then admits to the ease at which blockade runners could traverse the "blockade" encouraging many Southern, British, and even Northern business speculators to outfit ships for this extremely lucrative trade!

Other sources list Confederate losses to the blockade as less than 5% of all the attempts to bring in imported goods (mostly wool, weapons, medications, fine liquers and spirits, fancy silks and other luxuries) and to export cotton and tobacco to Europe. Admiral Anderson does admit that the blockade was ineffectual at first, (try 3 or more years!) and that most of the runners captured were in late 1864 and early'65.

So how does he justify the statement of the blockade being wholly effective?

He does however deal with several points that are not well covered in other histories, such as Secretary Seward's belief that a war with Spain over Haiti and her neighbor would bring the South back into the Union; and the issues over the Foreign Enlistment Act of the United Kindom and the Commonwealth, including the cheating of Irish nationals duped into enlisting in the Federal Army with a large enlistment bonus and free passage to New York, only to have it taken in "commissions" by the "agent" who brokered the agreement. And the recruiting of British seamen for the US and CS navies, the very issue that led to the War of 1812 with Britain.

I have yet to read Commander Bulloch's contemporary account of his participation in the aquisition of ships and weapons in Europe for the Confederacy, but I do know that Admiral Anderson shortchanged both Bulloch and Secretary Mallory, calling them both ineffecient and downplaying their roles and contributions in creating a Confederate Navy from the ground, up.

He claims that superior Federal Naval abilities and Confederate Naval incompetence decided the fate of new born nation. Yet, he brags on the ingeniousness of Confederate mine warfare, the Davids, the Hunley, stationary torpedoes (mines), and the commerce raiders, that all played important parts in two world wars in the following century.

Not bad for a poor agrarian economy with no major industrial complex!

Yes my sympathies do lie south, but my training and loyalty was and is with the same Navy as Flag Officer Anderson's.

To summerize, the author over credits the federal beaurocratic navy, and trashes the south, only to condradict himself repeatedly. His sources were the "Official Naval Records" and Personal writings of Northern officers.

History is written by the victors.

There are many better, more accurate histories of both navies available. Read them instead if you seek scholarship. Read this book if have already read all the others. The few gems of insight and political saavy contained in this book should only be sought out after a more thorough understanding of the conflict is obtained.

And, be sure to read accounts from both sides of the fence. Or, you will cheat yourself, and dishonor the memory of thousands who fought and died for their beliefs.

THE WORST BOOK ABOUT THE NAVAL HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR!.......2001-02-06

This book stinks! I mean come on! The first submarine to ever sink an enemy ship is the H.L. Hunley, not the R.L. Huntly!!! This is the first submarine to seek an enemy ship in the world; atleast spell it right and give it the right name!!! This ship is named after it's biggest investor, Horace L. Hunley! The last time I checked Hunley didn't have a "t" in it and Horace didn't start with "R"!!! I wish that when people write books about the Civil War they would do their research because it is books like these that misinform people. Luckily, I'm not stupid enough to spell this important piece of naval history INCORRECTLY!!! So hats off to Bern Anderson for screwing up the minds of people who buy this book. Oh Bert, if you ever decide to write another book make sure you know what you're writing about!!! If anyone doesn't believe about the spelling you can go to the Friends of the Hunley webpage and SEE IT FOR YOURSELF!!!

A Worthy Telling of a Neglected Story.......2000-08-31

Most popular histories of the Civil War focus almost primarily on land battles, almost to the exclusion of naval aspects of the war. What little reference there is to naval actions tends to be in the nature of trivia, such as the first submarine to sink a ship (C.S.S. R. L. Huntley), the first battle of ironclads in the Western World, the Monitor and Virginia (Merrimack) or songs about the daring Confederate raider, Alabama. As interesting as these anecdotes are, they fail to tell the true story of the important part that naval forces played in the Union conquest of the Confederacy. One seeking an understanding of the significance of the naval forces in the Civil War can find it in By Sea and By River: The Naval History of the Civil War by Bern Anderson. Anderson provides the reader with an excellent overview of naval aspects of the war.

The Union war plans called for conquest of the Confederacy by dividing the South and preventing the importation of needed manufactured goods from Europe. Despite attention directed toward the land war. the war was really decided in the West and along the Confederate coastlines. In these two theatres the Union Navy played a crucial role which is often overlooked by leading to the division and economic strangulation of the South.

The division of the Confederacy was achieved by two major thrusts, one down the Mississippi River and another through Kentucky, Tennessee and on to Atlanta, culminating in Sherman's March to the Sea. The thrust down the Mississippi involved significant naval action. The economic strangulation of the Confederacy, was achieved by the naval blockade.

The U.S. Navy on the western rivers was placed under the command of Captain Andrew H. Foote in September, 1861. In the beginning he was lacking only two requirements of a successful navy, boats and sailors. The shortage of boats was solved by purchases from the Eads Boatworks of St. Louis, founded by engineer James B. Eads, who is primarily remembered for building the Eads Bridge at St. Louis. The shortage of sailors was greater challenge. Although provided with sufficient officers, Foote was left to his own devices to recruit enlisted men. He finally achieved some success in recruiting sailors in the Great Lakes region. With the fleet assembled, Foote was ready to join General Grant in the planning and execution of the thrust down the Mississippi and other western rivers.

In November, 1861 Grant began moving against Confederate strongholds in Kentucky, transported by river and supported by naval gunboats. Grant's first great conquest in Southern territory was the conquest of Fort Henry, Tennessee on February 6, 1862. The attack was commenced by four gunboats under the command of Capt. Foote. The plan was for troops under Grant's command to cut off the fort from the rear while it was being bombarded from the river. Muddy roads and high water prevented Grant from cutting off the troops sent from Fort Henry to Fort Donelson. At 1:50, after less than two hours of naval bombardment, the fort surrendered. Grants troops then arrived to take possession.

The next Fort attacked was Fort Donelson on February 14. The fort yielded to a combination of bombardment by four gunboats and assault of 17,000 troops under Grant's command on February 15.

Action next shifted to the Middle Mississippi from March to June, 1862. The first Confederate obstacle encountered was Island No. 10, the tenth island south of Cairo. It surrendered on April 6, 1862 after a spectacular nighttime naval bombardment and a land assault. Similar methods were successful at Fort Pillow and Memphis. Vicksburg would fall to a land based siege and a naval bombardment from both river and ocean based vessels.

The main mission of the ocean going Navy was to enforce the blockade. This was accomplished by interception of blockade runners and the capture of ports. In his book, Anderson does a fine job of relating both the strategy behind the actions and details about the actions themselves. The actual nature of blockade running actions, involving the shallow draft runners against the deeper water naval vessels is described. The actions against port cities often involved a joint naval bombardment with land assault, the combination which was successful along the western rivers and in later wars. Prominent among these assaults were the captures of Charleston, New Orleans and forts guarding the entrance to Mobile Bay. The final assault upon Fort Fisher was a fitting conclusion to the campaigns of naval-land assaults. General Lee had predicted that his army could not hold out if supplies coming through Fort Fisher were cut. Within three months after the fall of Fort Fisher, the Army of Northern Virginia was compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources.

By Sea and By River also includes analysis of the effects of the campaigns on other aspects of the war. The stories of the Confederate raiders are told, both in their own rights, as well as the effect that they had on Northern commerce and the obligation they created on the Union Navy to reassign ships from blockade duty to raider chasing. The effect of the raiders and the blockade on relations with foreign nations, with particular regard to the Confederate attempts to obtain recognition and aid are discussed.

By Sea and By River provides the reader with a fine understanding of this most significant, but often overlooked part of a most studied war.

Excellent reading but primarily written from a Union view........1999-05-26

Admiral Bern is an entertaining writer of history and manages to include a lot of personal anecdotes from letters and diarys. From my knowledge and visits to Civil War forts around the country the author appears to be historically accurate. I would coution that the author seems to be writing primarily from a Union viewpoint. I am sending the book to some of my Navy friends.

One of the Best One Volume Summaries of the Naval Civil War.......1999-03-16

Bern Anderson's "By Sea and By River" is still perhaps the best one-volume history of the naval side of the Civil War. Strongly recommended for first-time readers on the topic.

Cottonclads! (Civil War Campaigns and Commanders)

Average customer rating:

Well written account of cottonclads at Galveston
Great Book
A Quick Read
An informative account of naval operations along Texas

Cottonclads! (Civil War Campaigns and Commanders)
Donald, S. Frazier
Manufacturer: TX A&M-McWhiney Foundation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Battle on the Bay: The Civil War Struggle for Galveston
Texas Overland Expedition of 1863 (Civil War Campaigns and Commanders)
Sabine Pass: The Confederacy's Thermopylae (Clifton and Shirley Caldwell Texas Heritage Series)
The Southern Journey of a Civil War Marine: The Illustrated Note-Book of Henry O. Gusley (Clifton and Shirley Caldwell Texas Heritage Series)

ASIN: 188666109X

Book Description

1862. Admiral David Farragut orders enclaves to be established in Texas as part of the Federal blockade. This involves attempts against Corpus Christi, Sabine Pass, Galveston, and Port Lavaca. By the end of the year Federal troops reduce the defenses of Sabine Pass and occupy Galveston, the state's principal port. However, the gains prove tenuous. While Federal sailors await Union infantry reinforcements, the Confederates, under Gen. John B. Magruder, seize the initiative. They organize a makeshift fleet of "cottonclads"--lightly armed and armored, but good platforms for sharpshooters--and boldly attack the Union fleet whenever it lies close to shore. Meanwhile, Confederate troops bombard from land. Ultimately, this counterattack results in the destruction or capture of four Union warships and three supply vessels and temporarily lifts the blockade. A lively account of innovative and daring tactics against superior forces by a dynamic historian.

Customer Reviews:

Well written account of cottonclads at Galveston.......2007-02-21

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Cotham's works about Galveston and Sabine Pass, I did not expect much from "Cottonclads!" Generally I find the "Civil War Campaigns and Commanders" series books too short and sparse on detail. To my pleasant surprise Donald Frazier's slim volume packs a reasonably detailed narrative between the covers.

Frazier's overall approach is more businesslike and concise focusing on the facts, figures, and positions while Cotham's contains a wider background narrative and more details in most areas. Each succeeds as I found these surprisingly complimentary companions. Frazier's coverage of events other than those surrounding the recapture of Galveston is more of a summary and clipped short in some areas.

"Cottonclads!" is centered on the Texan recapture of Galveston in a joint land and sea attack. The Union navy inflicted heavy casualties that repulsed the initial land assault against the small garrison at Kuhn's wharf. Then the cottonclads CSS Bayou City and Neptune attacked, dismounted cavalry serving as snipers and boarding parties on the boats. At first this too appeared to be unsuccessful as the Neptune was sunk in shallow water. However, this proved of some benefit as men continued to snipe from the top of the vessel. The Bayou City rammed the USS Harriet Lane and took it by storm. This led to the withdrawal of the U.S. Navy and the loss of the USS Westfield through scuttling after it ran aground. Without support the troops on the wharf were compelled to surrender. It was a stunning victory for a cobbled together land & sea operation, and a major debacle for the Federal blockading squadron.

Frazier includes some decent maps (although the map scale is not given.) He also includes orders of battle for Galveston and Sabine Pass, and provides a good description of the vessels involved along with basic layouts of the gun positions and calibers. Ample biographical sketches of the various land and sea commanders are included. Casualties are tallied for the CS forces and by vessel for the Union.

There are some odd errors in the Anaconda plan maps: Savannah, GA is shown as a blockade running port throughout, while Wilmington, NC is not shown.

Overall I can recommend this book as a useful and concise summary with maps, orders of battle, and ships details.

Great Book.......2003-04-18

Dr. Frazier's book on the Galveston campaign is a very important and readable work on this often over-looked battle. It is well worth the read.

A Quick Read.......2002-11-26

I found that Cottonclads! was a quick read as I finished it in one day. This book really helps to paint a picture of the state of affairs along the Texas Gulf Coast during the Civil War.

The book places special emphasis on the Battle of Galveston, which freed this important Texas port from Union control. Additional chapters cover battles at nearby Sabine Pass.

What I liked most about this book was its ability to get me to think about Galveston in a different way. I had never thought of what this city was like in the 19th Century, but the book claims that it was the largest city in Texas. When the Union Army occupied the city, it was with the intent to legitimize a Union-backed government there and to use the city as a base of operations for Union troops to penetrate deeper into Texas. In the end, the Union penetration of Texas failed, just as Sibley's Brigade failed to take the desert Southwest. It was only fitting that the regiments of Sibley's brigade were present at the freeing of Galveston from Union control.

I recommend this book as a starting point in learning about the Union blockade of the Confederacy and the Rebels' efforts to thwart it.

An informative account of naval operations along Texas.......1999-10-28

Cottonclads! The Battle of Galveston and the Defense of the Texas Coast presents a good account of the many naval operations along Texas. The book has good details; it includes battles ranging from Galveston to Sabine Pass. The book provides a good starting point for the interested reader to research and learn more.

Raphael Semmes and the Alabama (Civil War Campaigns and Commanders Series)

Average customer rating:

Semmes comments about his mainly British crew as "rascals, liars, thieves and drunkards" yet this crew captured 66 ships.
Raphael Semmes and the Alabama

Raphael Semmes and the Alabama (Civil War Campaigns and Commanders Series)
Spencer C. Tucker
Manufacturer: McWhiney Foundation Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

May 1862. The C.S.S. Alabama is launched in Liverpool and makes its way to the Azores. There it receives its armaments, is commissioned under the command of Raphael Semmes, and embarks on a 21-month journey of unparalleled destruction of the Union merchant fleet. This campaign is highlighted by the sinking of the Union warship Hatteras off Galveston. Semmes and his Alabama search the seas from Newfoundland to the South Atlantic, from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, for Union merchant vessels. More than sixty ships are sunk or captured before Semmes and his exhausted crew finally meet their match. Trapped by the U.S.S. Kearsarge while anchored in the French harbor of Cherbourg, Semmes comes out to fight. For over an hour the ships bombard each other. Finally, the Kearsarge prevails, sinks the Alabama and takes many of her crew captive. Semmes and many of the rest of the crew are dramatically rescued by the English yacht, Deerhound, and make their way to England. A detailed account by a highly regarded expert in Naval History of the incredible exploits of Raphael Semmes and the Alabama during her 75,000-mile odyssey.

Customer Reviews:

Semmes comments about his mainly British crew as "rascals, liars, thieves and drunkards" yet this crew captured 66 ships........2006-07-04

11 Jan 1863 in the Gulf of Mexico
"The two ships were within hailing distance when Blake (Lieutenant-Comander Homer C. Blake) demanded his opponent's identity. In what Porter (Admiral David Porter) called 'pure perfidy, such as a Zulu warrior would resort to.' Semmes identified his ship as Her Britannic Majesty's steamer Petrel. Reassured, Blake demanded the right to inspect the ship's registry in accordance with international law. After a boat had been lowered and was underway from the Hatteras. Semmes called out. 'This is the Confederate States steamer Alabama. FIRE'.
The first broadside from the Alabama was decisive, the Hatteras staggering under its force."

Spencer C. Tucker writes a fun book on the history and exploits of the famous Condeferate raider The Alabama. He includes some nice maps, drawings and photos for the reader.Not many books write about the other side of the War, the Naval part. So this book is welcomed. The Union navy was crucial in the War with it's blockades and for the Confederate's it was crucial to try to defeat the blockaders.

What would you do as the Captain of the Alabama as the Union Navy searches the high seas for you with every ship it can?

Raphael Semmes and the Alabama.......2002-04-20

I enjoyed this book. Took me awhile to read but very enjoyable. Civil War on the high seas!

Struggle for the Gulf Borderlands: The Creek War and the Battle of New Orleans, 1812-1815

Average customer rating:

Order of Indian Wars of the United States Book Review
The War of 1812 in the South

Struggle for the Gulf Borderlands: The Creek War and the Battle of New Orleans, 1812-1815
Frank, Jr. Owsley
Manufacturer: University Alabama Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0817310622

Customer Reviews:

Order of Indian Wars of the United States Book Review.......2006-05-15

For decades to come this will be the standard reference work on this topic. Superbly researched utilizing not only the usual American sources, but the previously untapped archives of Spain and Great Britain. Owsley has integrated the Creek War into the larger framework of the War of 1812 causing the reader at some point to pronounce "Eureka" as you begin to acquire a whole new perspective on Andrew Jackson and the conflict with Great Britain.

This may easily be the best history on the Creek War of 1813-1814. What could have been a completely altered history of the United States - if Andrew Jackson had not been in command, if he would have hesitated only weeks from the crucible campaign concluding at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, if the British would have landed the state-of-the-art muskets, artillery, military advisors/trainers, and cavalry accoutrements several weeks earlier than they did, if the Spanish had been more pro-active than they were for the Creeks, etc. - would have prevented us from our Manifest Destiny! I never before have read all of this with such fervor, explanation, and detail. Owsley makes the point that too many of our historians have belittled our accomplishments in these two interrelated wars and downplayed their significance. Often we have been led to believe that the War of 1812 was a "draw." He makes the point that it was on balance a resounding victory.

Jackson's being in the right place at the right time for the Battle of New Orleans would not have occurred but for his role in the Creek War and the overwhelming victory achieved. We would not have had the experienced and trained troops in place under his command but for the Creek War. And, inasmuch as the British did not recognize the validity of the Louisiana Purchase, if they had won the Battle of New Orleans then the Treaty of Ghent signed in December 1814 would not have applied to any claims that they would have asserted over New Orleans, Louisiana, and their planned buffer states under the Creek Indians and their allies. The frontier would have been inflamed and we would have had strong buffer Indian states with which to contend and two mutually supportive European powers. All of this was prevented by Andrew Jackson and his juggernaut victory at Horseshoe Bend. The sheer quantum of international intrigue taking place at Pensacola and throughout the Gulf area is enlightening.

This book is highly recommended by this reviewer. You will receive a whole new perspective on Andrew Jackson and his brave Tennessee and Georgia troops in the Creek War.

The War of 1812 in the South.......2002-01-11

Struggle for the Gulf Borderlands is the best single book on the often-overlooked Gulf Coast Theater of the War of 1812. Well written and researched, Struggle for the Gulf Borderlands brings to light several little understood aspects of the War of 1812. First, it illustrates the previously overlooked interrelation of the Creek War and the bearing it had on the outcome of the War of 1812.

Secondly, it details all military and political actions on the Gulf Coast leading up to the Battle of New Orleans. Most books focus only on the events of the battle, ignoring the many actions that had a direct influence on how the Battle of New Orleans was fought. Struggle for the Gulf Borderlands describes these events so one can understand thier impact on the outcome of the battle itself.

Lastly, Struggle for the Gulf Borderlands brings to light the divergent Southern opinion that the War of 1812 was a great military victory. From the Southern perspective, victory was nearly complete; the Creeks had been destroyed (opening more land for settlement); the Mobile territory had been annexed; and a major British invasion had been decisively stopped. The book contrasts this Southern perspective to the typical Northern view that the War of 1812 was at best a draw, which is the general view put forward by the majority of books on this subject.

Overall, the book is readable and informative. It is important for the new ideas and information it brings to the history of an area and a period. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in either the Creek War or the War of 1812.

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